Textured textile

ABSTRACT

The disclosed embodiments are for textured textiles. The texture may comprise a raised pattern of discontinuous geometrical shapes of silicone or equivalent functioning material. The disclosed textured textile may be used in a variety of applications: e.g. all types of clothing, sporting goods, or accessories.

CLAIM TO PRIORITY UNDER 35 U.S.C. §119 & 120

The present Application for Patent claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Application No. 62/299,926 filed on Feb. 25, 2016, entitled,“Textured Bra Inserts,” of which is expressly incorporated herein byreference in its entirety. The present Application for Patent is aDivisional of and claims the benefit of U.S. application Ser. No.15/224,536 filed on Jul. 30, 2016, entitled, “A Method and Apparatus forTextured Bra Insert,” owned by the assignee hereof, and expresslyincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

I. Field

The disclosed embodiments relate to textiles that are textured.Specifically, textiles that have a raised texture.

II. Background

People today want to augment, shape, or enhance their breast appearancefor a variety of reasons and applications. Plastic surgery can be costlyand some people may not want the medical risks associated with surgery.Others experiencing a mastectomy may need to wait for reconstruction, ordon't want breast reconstruction. Moreover, built in inserts, someremovable inserts, or solid silicone type inserts have problems. Forexample, they may not stay in place, be heavy, awkward feeling, or causeunpleasant perspiration. Common removable type or solid silicone insertsmay shift about causing the appearance of unnatural or mismatched shapedbreasts. Also, the color of the insert may be visible next to skin. Allof which may be an embarrassing situation for the user. Most built inpads are built in and can not be customized or removed to accommodatethe changes each individual may desire. For example, a person may buy aswim suit top that comes with built in padding. They may desire to havemore padding than the built in, or change the breast shape, but theinserts that come built into the swim suit top are static. Also, if theydesire to use a removable insert as available today, it may not stay inplace, may not be the shape, size, color, weight, or look the womandesires. In addition, the inserts are often aesthetically unattractive.Moreover, a person who invests in specialty inserts will want to be ableto reuse them with as many garments as they desire. Furthermore, anotherproblem with available removable inserts is the fact that they bunch upwhen washed, and/or loose their ability to keep shape after beingwashed. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a textured, lightweight, low perspiration, removably secure, variable use, aestheticallypleasing, and form keeping bra insert/s that stay in place while in usein a variety of applications.

SUMMARY

Disclosed is a textured textile, comprising: stretchable fabricdeposited with a raised pattern of discontinuous hexagon shapedmaterial, the hexagon shapes being sized between 0.063 and 0.5 inches indiameter, between 0.063 and 0.375 inches in height, and spaced evenlyapart from each other between 0.125 to 0.375 inches.

In yet another embodiment, a textured fabric, comprising: stretchablefabric deposited with a raised pattern of discontinuous hexagon shapedsilicone, the hexagon shapes being sized no more than 0.125 inches indiameter, no more than 0.1875 inches in height, and spaced evenly apartfrom each other between 0.125 to 0.375 inches is disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following embodiments may be better understood by referring to thefollowing figures. The figures are presented for illustration purposesonly, and may not be drawn to scale or show every feature, orientation,or detail of the embodiments. They are simplified to help one of skillin the art understand the embodiments readily, and should not beconsidered limiting.

FIG. 1A. illustrates a front view of a textured insert/s in anembodiment(s).

FIG. 1B. illustrates a side view of a textured insert/s in anembodiment(s).

FIG. 2A. illustrates a Bandeau shaped textured insert/s in anembodiment(s).

FIG. 2B. illustrates a full coverage shaped textured insert/s in anembodiment(s).

FIG. 2C. illustrates a type of mini shaped textured insert/s in anembodiment(s).

FIG. 2D. illustrates an oval shaped textured insert/s in anembodiment(s).

FIG. 2E. illustrates another type of mini shaped textured insert/s in anembodiment(s).

FIG. 2F. illustrates yet another type of mini shaped textured insert/sin an embodiment(s).

FIG. 2G. illustrates another type of mini shaped textured insert/s in anembodiment(s).

FIG. 2H. illustrates a triangle shaped textured insert/s in anembodiment(s).

FIG. 2I. illustrates a round shaped textured insert/s in anembodiment(s).

FIG. 3. illustrates a textured raised pattern in an embodiment(s).

FIG. 4. illustrates a bra application of the textured insert/s in anembodiment(s).

FIG. 5. illustrates a method of manufacturing the textured fabric of theembodiment(s).

FIG. 6A. illustrates a cross sectional side view of the layers in aninsert/s embodiment(s).

FIG. 6B. illustrates another cross sectional side view of the layers inan insert/s embodiment(s).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Each of the additional features and teachings disclosed below can beutilized separately or in conjunction with other features and teachingsto provide a method and apparatus for textured garment inserts. Theraised textured fabric used as well as a method of making the raisedtextured fabric is also disclosed. Representative examples of thefollowing embodiments, will now be described in further detail withreference to the attached drawings. This detailed description is merelyintended to teach a person of skill in the art details for practicingthe preferred aspects of the teachings and is not intended to limit thescope of the embodiments.

The disclosed embodiments describe a method and apparatus for texturedbra insert/s. The insert/s may be used with any garment of choice. Forexample, garments including, but not limited to, dresses, shirts, bras,strapless garments, evening wear, swimsuits, swimwear, lingerie, orsportswear. In an embodiment, the textured inset/s may be a shoulderpad. In another embodiment, the insert/s may be nursing pad insert/s.The disclosed insert/s embodiments describe an insert whose constructionallows for the insert/s to be washed and not bunch and/or retain itsform after washing.

The disclosed inserts can be a variety of shapes and colors for desiredeffects. In some embodiments, the insert/s may be generally convexshaped as is well known in the industry as a demi, full, push-up, ormini-push-up. In an embodiment, the shape of the insert/s may becustomized to work with a specific garment. For example, the shape ofpopular swim suit top. In another embodiment, the insert/s may be ofsuch a size and shape as to be a fake “breast.” For example, a woman mayhave had one breast surgically removed, and require the need for atextured insert that is fuller and shaped more like a full breast. Thisembodiment may be an attractive alternative to traditional breastprosthetics. Moreover, in yet another embodiment, the left and rightinsert/s of a pair may be of different sizes and/or shapes to help evenout misshaped breasts, because some women are born with unequallyshaped/sized breasts.

The textured insert/s provide an adhering function while in use by wayof depositing a gripping raised pattern onto fabric (or the outersurface of an insert). The disclosed insert/s may be textured on theouter side of the insert. The outer side of the insert is the side thatcontacts garments. The inner side of the insert is the side thatcontacts skin (or is towards the body). A textured effect on the outsideof the insert/s may allow for the insert/s to temporarily adhere togarments: such that the insert/s stays in place where positioned. If theinsert/s stick to the users skin, then there may be less control overthe overall look of the outfit. The texture may be created by adhering aflexible (elastic) but semi-tacky material in a raised pattern on thefabric. The raised pattern may be a specifically designed patternsuitable for the fabric it is being applied to in the form of raisedspaced apart geometric shapes deposited on the outer side or outerfabric of the insert/s. The embodiments herein primarily are describedin examples of the textured insert/s, but the fabric itself with thetexture on it is also a disclosed embodiment. In order for theapplication to be concise, it is to be understood to a person ofordinary skill in the art, that discussion of the texture embodimentsthrough this application is equally true for the outer fabricembodiments as well as for the insert/s that use the fabric. Thematerial (raised pattern material) used to create the raised pattern maybe a variety of materials such as silicone or equivalent functioningmaterial. In an embodiment, the material used to deposit onto the outerside fabric or outer layer of the insert/s to create the textured raisedpattern has a Shore A factor between 30-80 Shore A.

FIG. 1A illustrates a front view of a textured insert 100 in anembodiment(s). Textured insert/s 100 in this example is shown as a fullcoverage shaped insert. The outer side of the insert/s 100 may betextured 105. In an embodiment, silicone or equivalent material may beadhered to fabric in a raised pattern to create the texture non-slipfunction. The raised pattern material may be silicone or an equivalentfunctioning material. In an embodiment, the insert 100 may be textured105 with a raised pattern of hexagon shaped silicone “polka dots” 110.FIG. 1B illustrates a side view of textured insert/s 100 in anembodiment(s). The outer side 120 of the insert is shown textured in ahexagon raised pattern, but a variety of different raised patterns maybe used as long as the pattern is suitable for the fabric as explainedin more detail below. The inner side 150 of insert/s 100 is shown. Theinner side may utilize a moisture wicking fabric to help reduceperspiration. The inner side fabric may be a 3-D spacer fabric. In anembodiment, the inner side of the insert may use a polyester andspandex, or nylon and spandex blended fabric, or other suitable fabric.

The textured insert/s 100 may be constructed in a variety of manners. Inan embodiment, the insert comprises textured fabric adhered to it on aseamless cup. In another embodiment, insert/s 100 comprises a seamed cup130. Thus, seam 130 shown in FIG. 1A is shown as optional to illustratethe two different types of general cup constructions with one figureinstead of with two. A seamless cup (no seam 130) may be more desirablefor applications where there may be a possibility of the seam showingthrough to the garment. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readilyrecognize, more than these two basic cup constructions are possible andare envisioned to be within the scope of the disclosed embodiments.

The insert/s can come in a variety of shapes. FIG. 2A-2I illustratessome shapes that the textured insert/s may be as is well known in theindustry.

FIG. 3 illustrates a textured raised pattern 300 in an embodiment(s). Asdescribed earlier, the “polka dots” (discontinuous raised pattern) maycomprise a variety of geometric shapes 330. FIG. 3 shows hexagon “polkadot” shapes 330 as an example. In an embodiment, the “polka dot” shapes330 may be formed using evenly spaced apart hexagon shapes. In anotherembodiment, the raised pattern 330 (texture) may be formed by usingevenly spaced circular, oval, triangle, square, rectangle, oblong,pentagon, octagon, or other common geometric shapes. Geometric shapeswith more surface area may create more strength and structural supportto the outer fabric as well as gripping function to the garment. In anembodiment, the textured pattern 330 may be a series of evenly spacedlines, zigzags, circles, swirls, or other repeating geometric shapes. Adiscontinuous hexagon shape pattern, or specifically configuredgeometric design, may provide additional structural support for outerlayer fabrics that are structurally weak. For example, an elastic fabricsuch as spandex (Lycra®) blends, do not usually have much structuralsupport. They stretch and shift out of shape readily in multipledirections. So for example, circular dots may be used as a raisedpattern in some stretchable fabrics for the outer fabric when the outerside fabric has more structure. However, for fabrics like spandexblends, then the hexagon raised pattern (or structurally similar) shapemay be better. In an embodiment, the raised shapes are beveled (ortapered) on their edges such that there may be no distinct shape startand stop edges. In an embodiment, the shapes are positioned to minimizelines showing through from the insert to the garment. For example,shapes placed close together may give a smoother effect than shapesspaced too far apart or spaced too far apart on a section of the cup.

In an embodiment, the textured pattern 300 applied to the outer fabric(or outer insert/s surface) may be 32 geometric shapes per square inch.In another embodiment, it may be between 16-32 per square inch. Inanother embodiment, about 20 millimeters of discontinuous raised patternmaterial may be used per square inch.

In an embodiment, the size of the “raised pattern” (“polka dot”)geometric shape 330 applied may be 0.125 inches (3.175 mm) in diameter305 and 0.1875 inches in height 320 (4.763 mm). In another embodiment,the size of the geometric shape 330 applied may be between 0.063 inches(1.589 mm) and 0.5 inches (12.7 mm) in diameter 305. In anotherembodiment, the “raised pattern” geometric shape 330 may be between0.063 inches (1.589 mm) and 0.375 inches (9.525 mm) in height 320 withor without tapered edges. More raised pattern material per square inchof fabric may increase the non-slipping function of the raised pattern.In contrast, applying too much material per square inch may reduce thetextured fabric's ability to mold to the cup form. It may also addundesirable weight to the insert/s. Average solid silicone insertsweight around 3.5 ounces each. In contrast the average weight of thedisclosed textured insert/s weigh between 0.4-1 ounce. In addition,covering the entire outer fabric with a solid sheet of silicone (orequivalent) material may shorten the life of the inserts or causecracking in the silicone sheet. A solid sheet of non-slipping materialmay not conform to the cup shape as well. Moreover, a solid sheet ofsilicone may be less aesthetically appealing than insert/s with texture.In an embodiment, the geometric raised pattern shapes may be evenlyspaced 310 apart at 0.125 inches (3.175 mm) from each other. In yetanother embodiment, the geometric raised pattern shapes may be spaced310 apart between 0.125 inches (3.175 mm) to 0.375 inches (9.525 mm)apart from each other. The geometric raised pattern shapes may be spacedevenly and symmetrically from each other or not.

In an embodiment, medical grade silicone may be used as the texturematerial for the raised pattern. In another embodiment, siliconealternative ET-315 may be used. Material used may have a Shore rating ofbetween 30-80 Shore A. The silicone or equivalent material may enablethe insert/s to temporality adhere to garments even if the garments getwet like a swim suit, or if the “polka dots” come into contact with anoily substance like lotion.

FIG. 4. illustrates a bra application of the textured insert/s in anembodiment(s). Bra 440 is shown as a side view with the cut away detailsof the insert/s 400 shown. Insert/s 400 has the inner fabric 450 facingthe user's skin and the outer textured fabric 420 facing the bra 440(garment).

FIG. 5. illustrates a method of manufacturing the textured fabric of theembodiment(s). In an embodiment, the raised pattern may be screenprinted onto the outer fabric. The printing may be done with a rotary orflat bed screen printing. In step 505, a template (screen) comprisingholes laid out in the spaced geometrical raised pattern as described maybe placed on top of the fabric. Next at step 510, silicone (orequivalent material) may be applied to the template in a sweepingfashion across the template causing the silicon to be squeezed into theholes but leveled off at the template. The silicon or equivalentmaterial may be heated or treated in order that the material bemalleable to spread. At step 515, the silicon (or equivalent) thatpasses through the template holes adheres to the fabric. Finally, thefabric may be allowed to set before use. In an embodiment, the templateholes used to make the raised pattern comprises evenly spaced aparthexagon shapes that may be 0.125 inches (3.175 mm) in diameter 305 and0.1875 inches in height 320 (4.763 mm), and spaced 0.125 inches (3.175mm) apart from each other. In an embodiment, the outer fabric used maybe a spandex blend with a percentage of at least 20% spandex. The raisedpattern material may be medical grade silicone with a Shore A factorbetween factor between 30-80 Shore A.

FIG. 6A. illustrates a cross sectional side view 600 of the layers in aninsert/s embodiment(s). In this example, the insert/s may be constructedof three layers. The outer layer 605 may be textured fabric: suitablefabric with a corresponding appropriate raised “polka dot” “silicone”pattern adhered to it. The inner layer may be a padding layer 610. Inthis example, the shape of the cup may be shown as a demi shape, but asdiscussed above a variety of shapes may be accomplished. The inner layer650 may be a moisture wicking fabric or other suitable fabric. In anembodiment, the layers are stitched together. In another embodiment, thelayers are bonded as a free seam such as with ultrasonic welding(bonding) or equivalent free seam process. For example, hot air, orlaser. A seam where all three layers are attached together is crudelyillustrated as seam 640. However, the seam may be created by connectingonly the inner 650 and out layer 605 together as crudely illustratedwith seam 620 (padding layer not sewn/welded into the seam 620 with theouter and inner layers, but floats inside the outer and inner layer). Inan embodiment, the padding layer comprises polyurethane.

FIG. 6B. illustrates another cross sectional side view of the layers inan insert/s embodiment(s). The padding layer 610 comprises 3-D spacerfabric. The raised pattern of geometric shapes may be directly placedonto the 3-D spacer fabric. In this embodiment, the inner or outerlayers are the 3-D spacer fabric. Then the textured 3-D spacer fabricmay be molded into a cup shape.

In another embodiment, the padding layer may be a 3-D foam or 3-D spacerfabric layer that the inner and outer layers can be adhered to. In yetanother embodiment, the inner padding layer comprises recycledpolyurethane foam. In another embodiment, the cup may be made from asingle foam mold with the raised pattern applied to the outer side ofit. In an embodiment, the outer fabric the raised pattern may be appliedto comprise at least 20% spandex or similar elastic material. This mayhelp with the integrity of the “raised pattern” on the fabric. In anembodiment, inserts comprise the material polyester and spandex blendfor the outer fabric that the raised pattern adheres to. In anotherembodiment, 3-D spacer fabric (or equivalent) comprises the outer fabricthat the raised pattern adheres to. In an embodiment, inserts comprisethe material nylon and spandex blend for the outer fabric that theraised pattern adheres to.

In an embodiment, the inner layer may be a tradedress or trademarkcolor, the outer fabric (or outer layer) may be a skin tone color, andthe “silicone” texture applied to the outer layer may be the same skintone color as the outer layer (tone on tone). Skin colors include allskin tones from pale to dark to accommodate all the different skincolors. In another embodiment, the outer fabric color may be a differentcolor than the textured pattern. For example, the outer fabric may becolored blue while the raised texture may be orange (single or multicolored “polka dots”). In an embodiment, the texture color may be clearor semi-transparent. In another embodiment, some of the raised pattern“polka dots” may be different in color from the rest of the “polka dots”in order to create another layer of aesthetics. For example, most of the“polka dots” may be colored tan while some may be colored blue to form ablue shaped image on the insert.

After reading this description, it will become apparent to a personskilled in the relevant art(s) how to implement the embodiments usingother textiles as is known in the industry. The foregoing description ofthe preferred embodiments has been presented for purposes ofillustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or tolimit the embodiments to the precise form or to exemplary embodimentsdisclosed. Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparentto practitioners skilled in this art. Similarly, any process stepsdescribed might be interchangeable with other steps in order to achievethe same result. The embodiments were chosen and described in order tobest explain the principles of the embodiments and its best modepractical application, thereby to enable others skilled in the art tounderstand the various embodiments and with various modifications as aresuited to the particular use or implementation contemplated. It isintended that the scope of the embodiments be defined by the claimsappended hereto and their equivalents. Reference to an element in thesingular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly sostated, but rather means “one or more.” Moreover, no element, component,nor method step in the described disclosure is intended to be dedicatedto the public regardless of whether the element, component, or methodstep is explicitly recited in the following claims. No claim elementherein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. Sec. 112,sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using thephrase “means for . . . .”

In addition, the conjunction “and” when used in the claims is meant tobe interpreted as follows: “X, Y and Z” means it can be either X, Y or Zindividually, or it can be both X and Y together, both X and Z together,both Y and Z together, or all of X, Y, and Z together.

It should be understood that the figures illustrated in the attachments,which highlight the functionality and advantages of the describedembodiments, are presented for example purposes only. The architectureof the described embodiments are sufficiently flexible and configurable,such that it may be utilized (and navigated) in ways other than thatshown in the accompanying figures.

Furthermore, the purpose of the foregoing Abstract is to enable the U.S.Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially thescientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiarwith patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from acursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure ofthe application. The Abstract is not intended to be limiting as to thescope of the described embodiments in any way. It is also to beunderstood that the steps and processes recited in the claims need notbe performed in the order presented.

Also, it is noted that the embodiments may be described as a processthat is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a structure diagram, ora block diagram. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as asequential process, many of the operations can be performed in parallelor concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may bere-arranged. A process is terminated when its operations are completed.A process may correspond to a method, a function, a procedure, asubroutine, a subprogram, etc. When a process corresponds to a function,its termination corresponds to a return of the function to the callingfunction or the main function. A process or method may be implementedwith a processor, or similar device, or any combination of hardware andsoftware.

What is claimed is:
 1. A textured textile, comprising: stretchablefabric deposited with a raised pattern of discontinuous hexagon shapedmaterial, the hexagon shapes being sized between 0.063 and 0.5 inches indiameter, between 0.063 and 0.375 inches in height, and spaced evenlyapart from each other between 0.125 to 0.375 inches.
 2. The texturedtextile as in claim 1, wherein the stretchable fabric includes at least20% spandex.
 3. The textured textile as in claim 1, wherein the raisedpattern material is a medical grade silicone.
 4. The textured textile asin claim 1, wherein the stretchable fabric includes a polyester andspandex blend.
 5. The textured textile as in claim 1, wherein thestretchable fabric includes a nylon and spandex blend.
 6. The texturedtextile as in claim 1, wherein the raised pattern of discontinuoushexagon shaped material covers no more than 20 millimeters per squareinch of the stretchable fabric.
 7. The textured textile as in claim 1,wherein the raised pattern of discontinuous hexagon shaped materialcovers no more than 32 hexagon shapes per square inch of the stretchablefabric.
 8. The textured textile as in claim 1, wherein the raisedpattern of discontinuous hexagon shaped material covers between 16-32per square inch of the stretchable fabric.
 9. The textured textile as inclaim 1, wherein the raised pattern material is a silicone alternativeET-315.
 10. The textured textile as in claim 1, wherein the raisedpattern material has a Shore rating of between 30-80 Shore A.
 11. Thetextured textile as in claim 1, wherein the raised pattern material hastapered edges.
 12. The textured textile as in claim 1, wherein thestretchable fabric is colored white, black, light nude, medium nude,dark nude, pink, blue, purple, gold, silver, or bronze.
 13. The texturedtextile as in claim 12, wherein the raised pattern material is coloredclear, white, multi-colored, black, light nude, medium nude, dark nude,pink, blue, purple, gold, silver, or bronze.
 14. A textured fabric,comprising: stretchable fabric deposited with a raised pattern ofdiscontinuous hexagon shaped silicone, the hexagon shapes being sized nomore than 0.125 inches in diameter, no more than 0.1875 inches inheight, and spaced evenly apart from each other between 0.125 to 0.375inches.
 15. The textured fabric as in claim 14, wherein the stretchablefabric includes at least 20% spandex.
 16. The textured fabric as inclaim 14, wherein the raised pattern of discontinuous hexagon shapedsilicone covers no more than 20 millimeters per square inch of thestretchable fabric.
 17. The textured fabric as in claim 14, wherein thestretchable fabric includes a polyester and spandex blend.
 18. Thetextured fabric as in claim 14, wherein the stretchable fabric includesa nylon and spandex blend.
 19. The textured fabric as in claim 14,wherein the stretchable fabric is colored white, black, light nude,medium nude, dark nude, pink, blue, purple, gold, silver, or bronze. 20.The textured fabric as in claim 14, wherein the silicone is coloredclear, white, multi-colored, black, light nude, medium nude, dark nude,pink, blue, purple, gold, silver, or bronze.